Yogic Bliss

Friday, August 13, 2010

During my college days, I, being a science student, was rather skeptical when someone talked about religion, philosophy or spirituality.

When I was pursuing my postgraduate studies (M.Sc- Chemistry), I came across Swami Vivekananda’s literature which almost dramatically changed the course of my life. Study of ‘mental chemistry’ seemed more interesting than ‘physical chemistry’.

Immediately after I received the Master’s Degree in science, I joined “The G.S. College of yoga and Cultural Synthesis” , Kaiwalyadhama, Lonawala. I graduated in the Yoga course with the top rank. Later on, my keen interest in philosophy inspired me to undertake a research program, for which I was awarded ‘Doctorate in Philosophy’ by Mumbai University. The title of my thesis was “Meditative Techniques and Their Metaphysical Foundations”.

I had already decided to join Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission, at Kanyakumari. I worked for 20 years in the organization as a dedicated worker (seva-wrati). For almost 10 years I worked in the North-Eastern region of our country as Education Officer in ‘Vivekananda Kendra Shisksha Prasar Vibhag’. I extensively travelled in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, for spread of education in the tribal region. Later on I also organized Kendra’s activities in other States like Kashmir, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. My interest in Yoga brought me back to the Yoga wing of Kendra viz., “Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana,” Bangalore. I moved throughout India and abroad to U.K., Portugal, U.S.A., Japan, and Singapore to conduct various Yoga courses.

My experience in Vivekananda Kendra was invaluable. But somewhere there was feeling of stagnation and dissatisfaction which forced me to come out of the organization.

Since 1992 onwards I worked as a lecturer in Applied Chemistry at K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering and as Hon. Director of K.J. Somaiya Yoga Academy till my retirement in 2008.

I now continue as a visiting Professor at K.J. Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, which runs graduate and postgraduate programs in Yoga. I also work as a visiting faculty at Engineering College.

Reconciliation of inward journey of consciousness with outward flow of life interests me the most!